


Accept or Ignore?

by ericaismeg



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (Erica and Boyd aren't mentioned though; assumed), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dead Aiden, Dead Allison, Dead Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes, Drunk Texting, Facetime, Isaac doesn't leave, Jackson Comes Back, Kira Yukimura & Stiles Stilinski, M/M, Nogitsune, Texting, post 3b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 22:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1527980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericaismeg/pseuds/ericaismeg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Big Bad Sourwolf wants to Facetime. Accept or ignore?</p><p>	Big Bad Sourwolf is Facetiming him. Big Bad Sourwolf is Derek Hale. Obviously. But the whole facetiming thing might just be the scariest thing Stiles has ever have to deal with. Seriously. Derek knows how to use technology? And why is Derek calling him on Facetime?</p><p>**<br/>Post Nogitsune, Derek leaves again. He and Stiles get into a fight, Stiles spends 6 months texting a phone without a response, and there's a happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accept or Ignore?

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS CANON UP UNTIL EPISODE 3x24. This means there are mentions of Allison's death, how everyone grieves, (and one little bit about Aiden's). It's assumed that Erica and Boyd are dead too. I started this in between 3x23 and finished it recently. I never thought I'd write with them dead. 
> 
> This was SUPPOSED to be a funny fic about Derek Facetiming Stiles. I have no idea why it didn't come out that way. It's not like super angsty (I don't think?) but still. This has been a warning.

 

            Stiles clicks on the next Wikipedia tab and shifts on his chair to find a more comfortable position. He’s been doing as much research on the supernatural world as he could lately. Sleep...well, sleep had always been an issue for Stiles so the lack of it is nothing new. Lydia had lectured him, explaining that after the past few years they had had, he needed sleep to survive the rest of the school year and get his grades up. Things had calmed down on the supernatural front, but this time...this time Stiles is going to be prepared.

            He’s not going to be surprised by any supernatural creatures. Not again.

            He shifts again. God, why is it so hard to get comfortable tonight? He glances at his bed. Maybe he should...nawh, he’d already done it twice today. Really, masturbating isn’t going to make him magically more comfortable. It might relax him though. Stiles hesitates, and decides that reading up on mermaids is more important than his sexual satisfaction...only because he’d taken care of that already. Honestly, with this town, he really should be prepared for anything.

            Man, are there many scary things out there. Werewolves are real, which probably means vampires are just as real. This had sent Stiles into a spiral once he’d started reading up on them. God, let him never meet any vampires _please_. The vampire world just seems tricky. Vampires, goblins...anything seems possible. Mermaids, or sirens, are almost just as freaky.

            Just before he starts reading again, his cell phone starts vibrating on the desk. Stiles picks it up, and stares at the screen. He should be prepared for _anything_ , but nothing, not ever, could prepare him for what was happening on his cell phone screen.

 

 **_Big Bad Sourwolf_ ** _wants to Facetime. Accept or ignore?_

 

            Big Bad Sourwolf is _Facetiming_ him. Big Bad Sourwolf is Derek Hale. Obviously. But the whole facetiming thing might just be the scariest thing he’d ever have to deal with. Seriously. Derek _knows_ how to use technology? And why is Derek calling him on _Facetime_?

            Derek had left again. With the Nogitsune defeated, Allison’s death, and Kira’s mom going a little murderous, Stiles hadn’t been surprised that he had wanted to get away from it all. The truth is he hadn’t left immediately afterward. He’d hung around for almost two months, helping the pack heal.

            Stiles remembers in a flash how Derek had taken over as the pack leader for Scott to give him time to grieve. He had stopped a brutal fight between Scott and Isaac, who had ended up curling up on a couch together crying and cuddling.

            Stiles can still remember exactly how relieved he’d felt when Derek had come to check on Lydia. The two of them had been curled up on the bed, Lydia’s face buried into Stiles’ chest. He hadn’t left her and Derek alone, but behind Derek came Jackson. Jackson had crawled in bed with Lydia, taking Stiles’s place, and Derek had taken Stiles home.

            He’d only said, “Stiles, I know you want to be with Lydia but _you_ need time to heal too.”

            Then Derek had yanked the passenger door open and walked Stiles to his door. Stiles had asked him to come inside, and Derek had wordlessly follow him into the house.

            While he was still in town, Derek had checked up on Stiles every night. Stiles never told the werewolf that he’d known that Derek hung out on his roof, but then again, Derek hadn’t done much to hide it on the nights that Stiles woke up screaming. Derek always made it inside before the Sheriff, but both of them stayed with Stiles.

            Then Derek had packed a bag. Stiles had gone to see him. He did that sometimes, because he was the only one who seemed to understand what he was dealing with. Stiles had demanded to know if he was leaving. Derek had said yes, and Stiles had felt lost instantly. Derek’s the only one who got this stuff, these thoughts...and then he was leaving.

            Stiles had wanted to know if Derek was going to leave without saying goodbye again, but Derek had shoved a letter into his hands to prove that he wasn’t. It wasn’t much of a letter. More of a note.

            Stiles looks up at his wall. The note hangs there.

            Derek had only been gone for two weeks this time. Last time that Derek had left, they hadn’t heard from him in months. Stiles had been pretty pissed off, but so much had happened that he hadn’t had time to yell at Derek. Then, when they finally saw each other again, Stiles had been possessed by the goddamn Nogitsune.

            Now Derek’s _Facetiming_ Stiles. It occurs to him to _answer_ the call. He fumbles to do that, and almost drops his phone, but manages to answer the call. Stiles tries to keep his hand steady.

            After a few moments, the “connecting” screen disappeared into Derek’s beautiful face. Derek’s _beautiful face_? No, his face. Just his face. Stiles panics about his looks, and not-so-casually fails to run his fingers through his hair.

            “ _Stiles_ ,” Derek’s voice rings clear through the phone. He freezes.

            “Yo, what up?” Stiles says, as though he’s totally cool about the fact that Derek is _Facetiming_ him.

            Derek looks at something off-screen, and then back to stare at Stiles. “ _I said I would keep in touch._ ”

            “Yeah, so _text_ me,” Stiles says, nervously laughing. “You don’t have to _Facetime_ me.”

            “ _Oh._ ” Derek frowns. Not that his face changes too much. The guy is always grumpy. Still, Stiles wonders if he offended him.

            “No, no, dude, it’s fine,” Stiles says quickly. Is his iPhone broken or is that relief on Derek’s face? “What’s up? Where are you?”

            “ _Uh, I’m visiting Cora._ ”

            “ _Wow_ ,” Stiles whispers. “Man, what time is it there?”

            “ _Oh, uh, it’s 11am._ ”

            “It’s 5am here. So how’s the lovely Cora Hale?” Stiles has no idea what to say, but there’s such relief in seeing Derek’s face and hearing his voice, that Stiles doesn’t care if they talk about the weather for the next ten hours. _That_ ’s an interesting feeling.

            “ _Good_ ,” Derek tells him with a nod. “ _She wanted me to thank you for saving her life the last time you saw each other. And that she misses you._ ”

            “Oh! Uh, tell her I miss her too.” _Man_ , that must be the longest Derek’s ever spoken to him before. Stiles smiles at the thought. Probably not quite true, but Derek’s never been a talker.

            “ _Will do,_ ” Derek says. “ _How’s the pack?_ ”

            “Better, I guess. Lydia’s thrown herself into schoolwork. She might go visit Jackson next month though. He had to go back for school. Scott and Isaac have really bonded over losing Allison. Kira’s been amazing. She isn’t pushing Scott into anything. She’s also living with Scott now, actually. She couldn’t handle her family. Melissa’s been great at helping my dad deal with everything. Oh! Best part—turns out Danny’s known about us _all along_. So he’s pretty happy with Ethan, who refuses to leave his side.”

            “ _And you, Stiles?_ ” Derek asks. “ _How are you?_ ”

            Stiles hesitates to answer. He’s fine, right? If he still wakes up screaming, well, that’s normal now. If he rarely sleeps, that’s also nothing new. Stiles glances down, and then settles on saying, “Fine, Derek.”

            “ _Has it...gotten better?_ ” Derek asks slowly.

            “No,” Stiles admits. “So what’s it like where you are?”

            Derek shrugs visibly. “ _It’s fine._ ”

            They’re both very chatty about their lives.          

            “Uh, okay. I don’t know—”

            “ _Have you been sleeping?_ ” Derek demands.

            “Dude, it’s 5am and I answered your call. What does that tell you?” Stiles says. Derek’s eyebrows draw together. “So I was reading up on vampires—”

            “ _Vampires aren’t real,_ ” Derek says, his tone the same as always.

            “Uh, werewolves are, so why wouldn’t vampires be?” Stiles asks, fully enjoying himself now. He moves to his bed, and collapses on it. Stretching out, he gives Derek his best skeptical expression. “Maybe you’ve just never met vampires.”

            Derek rolls his eyes. “ _I’m sure my mother would have told me if vampires are real._ ” He pauses. “ _Right?_ ”

            “I guess,” Stiles says. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t know what your mother was like.”

            “ _She would’ve liked you_ ,” Derek says, nodding.

            “I think my mom would’ve liked you too,” Stiles tells him. “I mean, even my dad misses you a bit I think. He asks me about you.”

            “ _He does? He’s a good man._ ”

            “Yeah, he is. But back to what I was saying, despite your undying denial of the existence of vampires, I was doing some research on vampires and discovered something. According to some really old legend—I won’t get into it—a vampire bite can kill a werewolf, and vice versa. _So_ if they _do_ exist, and they probably do, don’t let them bite you.” Stiles nods, triumphantly, as though he’d just saved Derek’s life.

            “ _I’ll just bite them._ ”

            “No, _dude_ , you don’t fucking risk that. They’re speedier than wolves, from everything I’ve read.” Stiles sighs. “Just...like, be careful and stuff.”

            Derek nods. “ _Sure thing, Stiles. You too._ ”

            “So...when are you, like, coming home and stuff?”

            Derek’s face disappears from the screen, and Stiles waits as he realizes that Derek’s settling into a bed. Then Derek’s face fills the screen again. “ _Stiles_ , _I don’t think I’ll be going back to Beacon Hills_.”

            “Then why are you calling me?” Stiles demands.

            Derek sighs loud enough that it comes through the speakers and puts Stiles’ body onto alert. “ _Because you made me promise to keep in touch_.”

            “Fuck you,” Stiles whispers. He repeats it louder, “Fuck you.”

            “ _What_?” Derek looks at the screen, confused.

            “How can you say that? How can you say that you’re only calling me because I _made_ you promise?” Stiles sputters. He glares at the screen, suddenly filled with anger and hurt. “Fuck you, Hale. Don’t bother calling me again. Promise lifted.”

            Stiles ends the call and tosses his phone onto the desk.

            See if he cares if Derek bites a fucking vampire or not. See if he gives a shit.

            He groans loudly, and feels miserable.

 

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

            “Hey Stiles,” Kira says, with a faint smile. She leans forward, and hugs him. Kira drops her voice into a whisper, “What’s wrong?”

            Stiles leans back. He glances around. Scott and Isaac are huddled together at the lunch table, talking quietly. He doesn’t need werewolf senses to know they’re discussing Allison. Lydia has headphones in, probably listening to her favourite classical artists, and is focusing too intensely on her laptop. Ethan and Danny are talking quietly between themselves, occasionally laughing. Kira must feel left out, Stiles realizes. He nods towards the empty end of the table and they sit down.

            “Derek _Facetimed_ me last night. Facetime. Like a call, but I saw _his face_ ,” Stiles says. He keeps his voice low enough in hopes that his friends won’t hear him. With a quick glance over, he notices that neither Scott nor Isaac bat an eye in his direction.

            “Really?” Kira says, surprised. “No offense, considering I don’t know him well, but I didn’t think he knew how to use technology.”

            “Me neither!” Stiles says, a smile on his lips. It fades fast. He puts his head in his hands. “He said he only called me because I made him promise. Not even because he wanted to or he missed me or anything. And that he’s not coming back to Beacon Hills.”

            Kira’s eyebrows come together. “That’s weird. Considering how well he took care of the pack after…”

            “I _know_. And I need him, Kira. I don’t know why. I just…I _need_ him.” Stiles sighs. “Please don’t be offended.”

            “Definitely not! You two have been through a lot together. Scott sometimes tells me stories.” Kira’s eyes flicker over to Scott.

            “He’ll come around, you know,” Stiles tells her. He puts a hand on Kira’s. “He’ll be torn up with guilt if he moves too fast.”

            Kira nods. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Stiles, I’m just…thanks for being here for me. You’ve been through so much…”

            “And I’m alive because of you,” Stiles reminds her. “You barely knew me, and there you were, fighting for my life. That kind of shit bonds people for life, you know.”

            She lets out the smallest laugh. It’s enough to make Stiles relax for a few minutes.

            A sharp _ahem_ noise comes from beside them. They both look up to see Scott, frowning down at them. Stiles gives his best bud a weak smile. Scott’s been frowning too much lately. “Hey buddy.”

            “What’s going on here?” Scott’s eyeing their hands. Kira reacts first with a snort.

            “Scott, do you really think after everything my family’s put Stiles’ through, and everything you and I have been through, that I’m going to jump Stiles’ bones?” she asks, only squeezing Stiles’ hand tighter.

            Scott seems to deflate. “You’re right. I…sorry, guys. I just…”

            “Dude, when have I ever needed an apology?” Stiles asks, raising an eyebrow. “Except maybe the time you made out with Lydia.”

            “ _Stiles_ ,” Scott says in a threatening tone.

            “You made out with Lydia?” Kira asks, laughing. “That’s…that’s actually kind of funny.”

            “How?” Scott asks.

            Kira shakes her head. “Scott, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but Lydia would eat you alive.”

            “I heard that!” Lydia chimes in from her laptop. Three heads turn to look at her. Stiles is surprised to see a hint of a smile on her face. “And she’s right. I _would_ eat you alive, McCall. You’re too far of a...”

            There’s a catch in her voice. Stiles remembers her dark secret whispered a few months ago—how she’d told Aiden that she wanted to be with a nice guy, not a bad one, and then he’d died before she could tell him that she did love him, in her own way.

            “…a nice guy,” Lydia finishes weakly.

            “Thanks, Lyd. Good to know you wouldn’t go easy on me,” Scott retorts. There’s amusement in his voice though.

            Stiles glances up. Scott had also called her Lyd. That almost never happened. Without speaking about it, Stiles and Kira get up to sit closer with the others. Scott takes his seat beside Isaac again.

            “I’m leaving on Saturday. I’ll come home in a week and a half—I’ve done all my homework and tests for that time.” Lydia’s looking around at everyone. “I just…I need Jackson.”

            “We know,” Isaac says. He gives her a nod of understanding.

            “Stiles, you’ve also been getting ahead of your homework,” Lydia says, frowning. “Why is that?”

            He shrugs. He’s not going to tell any of them that he’d gotten the idea from Lydia—get ahead on homework and assignments in case Derek called and Stiles could visit. Because saying it in his head made him sound stupid. Why would he admit it aloud?

            “Keeping busy,” is all Stiles says.

            “Stiles, _tell them_ ,” Kira says gently.

            “I…can’t.”

            Stiles grabs his stuff and heads to the library without another word.

            When he finds empty floor space in the corner, he pulls out his cell phone.

 

 **STILES:** _it sucks without you here, you know_

 

            He doesn’t expect a response. Why should he? He had told Derek off last night. He had…he’d basically ended their friendship. God, Derek hadn’t even _thought_ they were friends. Or maybe he did and didn’t care. Stiles isn’t sure what’s worse.

            When his phone buzzes a few minutes later, Stiles blinks in surprise.

 

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _I didn’t know that_

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _I’m sorry for upsetting you last night_

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _too many bad things happened in BH_

            Stiles considers everything that’s happened to Derek here. He has to agree. There’s been a lot of shitty things but…

 

 **STILES:** _I’m here_

 **STILES:** _I’m one good thing to happen to you in BH_

 

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _Stiles, you’re the only one who wants me home_

 

 **STILES:** _untrue, but I’m not a good enough reason?_

 

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _I’m sorry_

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _maybe you were right, maybe it’s best if we don’t talk anymore_

 **BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _I need time_

**STILES:** _you’ve had your time_

**BIG BAD SOURWOLF:** _I need more_

 

 **STILES:** _fine_

**DEREK HALE FUCKING SUCKS:** _hate me if you have to_

**STILES:** _yeah as if asshole_

**DEREK HALE FUCKING SUCKS:** _thanks for being…you, stiles_

 **DEREK HALE FUCKING SUCKS:** _I wouldn’t be the same without you_

**STILES:** _exactly so come home_

**DEREK HALE FUCKING SUCKS:** _it’s not home anymore though_

 

 **STILES:** _don’t come back then, fuck this_

 **STILES:** _see if I fucking care anymore_

**DEREK HALE FUCKING SUCKS:** _okay, I won’t bother you ever again_

            Stiles throws his phone down the aisle. He’s tempted not to pick it up when he leaves the library, but he does.

            Dammit. Fuck Derek Hale. He’s pretty sure Derek means his last text too. _Asshole_. He doesn’t need him anyway. Right?

 

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

            “You’re not talking anymore?” Lydia asks, glancing up.

            “No,” Stiles admits.

            “Are you okay?” Scott asks, frowning like the concerned friend he is.

            “Sure,” Stiles replies.

            “Stiles,” Isaac says. “If you want to talk about it, we’re not going to judge you.”

            Stiles looks over at Isaac. How is it that they’d become so close? Right, shitty things brought the most unlikely allies together. Fuck. “I’m good.”

            Kira puts a hand on Stiles’ shoulder. “You’ve got us if you need us.”

            “Thanks, Kira. But really, guys. I’m _fine_. Derek and I just aren’t talking anymore.”

            “I’m sorry, buddy,” Scott says, sympathetically. “Let’s get drunk. That’s what best friends are good for, right?”

            Stiles brightens a little. “Right.”

**♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

 

            “It’s been six months since you guys last talked. Maybe he’s over the whole ‘needing time’ thing,” Scott says after he finishes kicking Stiles’ ass on the Xbox.

            “No way,” Stiles says, shaking his head. “I’ve been texting him and he hasn’t responded to _anything_.”

            “You didn’t tell us you’ve been texting him!” Isaac says, frowning.

            “About what?” Lydia asks. She’s curled into Jackson, looking much better than she had after Allison’s death.

            “Here.” Stiles holds out his phone.

 

October 3 rd at 4:03PM

_Derek there’s a witch in town, and we don’t know what to do_

_she attacked Lydia, who screamed and broke the spell she was trying_

October 5 th at 7:56PM

_the witch situation has gotten worse, she almost killed Isaac…we can’t lose anymore pack members…we need advice_

October 14 th at 6:43AM

_you’re lucky we managed to get rid of the witch and we’re all still alive, but you fucking suck okay?_

November  2 nd at 3:20AM

_Derek I just had another nightmare about the Nogitsune and all the shitty things I did_

_I’m sorry that I hurt you and that I couldn’t stop it and that I threw you across the room_

_I’m sorry I was ever born_

_I never wanted to hurt anyone ever and there I went, killing people_

_I need you_

November 7 th at 2:10PM

_Lydia asked about you today at lunch, and I swear she almost started crying…we need you back home, Derek._

_Lydia’s going to visit Jackson again next week and then he’s coming home for Thanksgiving_

_at least one good thing came out of this mess?_

November 23 rd at 1:25AM

_uh so vampires ARE real and we just dealt with that WITHOUT YOU_

_Isaac almost was bit and I just went crazy and I killed the vampire with a stake_

_it’s a good thing I did my research and made one out of boredom, huh?_

_seriously though, vampires are fucking terrifying…be careful out there, sourwolf_

December 1 st at 8:20AM

_it’s getting chillier now, and I just imagine you as a hobo on the street because I can’t picture you living anywhere but here and I miss you dude_

_I went to your loft last night, and I just sat there and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried a lot_

_come home, Derek_

December 12 th at 5:06PM

_had a dream about you last night_

_you were smiling_

_I woke up crying_

December 24 th at 12:01AM

_happy Christmas eve! …wherever you are, I hope you’re safe and happy_

December 25 th at 12:00AM

_merry Christmas, Derek!_

December 28 th at 7:13PM

_my dad asked about you tonight, he hopes you’re well_

December 31 st at 11:59PM

_I hope you’re not alone_

January 1 st at 12:01AM

_happy new year, Derek._

January 16 th at 3:07PM

_so goblins are real too_

_don’t mess with goblins, Derek_

February 14 th at 9:18PM

_still haven’t given up on you, dude_

February 29 th at 12:45AM

_happy leap day, hope you have a great extra day_

_wish I was spending it with you_

March 1 st at 1:33AM

_oh mgfd  god so I had to get Scottie drunk ang forgt he cant with the wolfffff thing soooo hahafdsfh Im drunk alone_

_god all I can thnk about is yuu_

_come home dereeky_

_needyou_

_mIssyou_

**_  
_**

March 17 th at 2:43AM

_HAPPY STPARRTY’S DAY DEEK_

_lolololol your names not deek_

_scottmy have gintten me drunk again!_

_huh thnk I got some words right_

_god I need you_

March 22 nd at 5:43PM

_my dad got shot today_

_he’s okay though_

_it was unsupernatural related too_

_and it was more of a brush-by then a real gunshot wound thank god_

March 23 rd at 1:34AM

_I just had a nightmare again, not that I don’t always have them but…this one my dad was shot and he didn’t make it_

_I wish you were here_

_you’d have all the right words and you’d hold me_

_I want you to hold me again, Derek_

April 1 st at 7:54AM

_Scott and I came up with the best prank on Coach ever_

_Isaac, Lydia, and Kira are helping too!_

_Danny and Ethan are on board now too!_

April 1 st at 10:56AM

_should’ve seen Coach’s face, I think he was proud of us_

April 12 th at 2:31PM

_I don’t know if you’re even getting these anymore, but you’re damn good at ignoring me, huh?_

_I don’t even care anymore, I wish I could hear your voice or at least see your face…_

_school sucked today, so I’m at your loft. I come here sometimes, when things suck_

_it doesn’t smell like you anymore_

April 15 th at 6:54AM

_we met for the first time today—before that day in the woods with scott_

_bet you didn’t know that_

April 23 rd at 2:46AM

_another nightmare, I killed you…I wish you’d let me know you’re okay_

_it was too real_

_some assurance, any assurance, would be nice_

_Derek, I miss you still._

_I should stop messaging you…it occurred to me that you must not have your phone anymore or something_

_but god it’s nice to pretend I’m talking to you_

April 30 th at 3:04PM

_my dad heard about some ‘animal attacks’ down south that are getting out of hand_

_maybe check that out_

_don’t get hurt_

May 3 rd at 2:02AM 

_another nightmare…I wish you were here, Derek._

_need you._

_come home, please…_

“He hasn’t replied to any of these messages,” Lydia says when she’s finished reading the messages aloud with the dates and timestamps. She frowns. “Stiles…”

            “The last message is this morning,” Kira says, frowning. “You should’ve called one of us.”

            “We would’ve been here in a heartbeat,” Scott says, nodding. Stiles notices he rubs Kira’s hand, and it’s a movement Scott does when he’s upset.

            “I know that…it’s just…” Stiles waves his arms in the air.

            “We’re not Derek,” Isaac fills in for him.

            Stiles points at Isaac. “That.”

            “You could ask your dad to…” Scott trails off.

            “I did. He can’t find Derek _anywhere_ ,” Stiles says. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Can we watch a movie, or something?”

            “Yeah, sure,” Kira says, hopping up immediately.

            Stiles rubs the back of his neck. He gets up and goes into the kitchen. He leans on the counter, covering his face with his hands, and focuses on breathing. Lydia joins him a few minutes later. He can tell because he hears the click-clack of her heels.

            “Stiles, I…I’m so sorry.”

            He glances at her briefly before putting his face back into his palms. “Why are you sorry?”

            “I…Stiles, I had no idea you were in this much pain about Derek. I knew you missed him, but I didn’t _know_.”

            Stiles shrugs. He stands up straight, leaning his back against the counter. “Lyd, it’s fine. I didn’t exactly tell anyone. I just…I guess I thought Derek and I were friends.”

            “I know where he is,” Lydia whispers.

            “ _What_?” Stiles shouts. He doesn’t mean to. He also doesn’t mean to lunge towards Lydia in desperation. He studies her face closer than he probably should be.

            “I was talking to Peter—”

            “Where is he?” Stiles whispers.

            “Listen, Stiles, I have to tell you that…”

            “Lydia, _where is he_?” Stiles demands.

            “He’s with Cora again.” Lydia takes a deep breath. “He’s safe. I don’t know if he has a phone though…Peter mentioned he’s been emailing him.”

            Stiles stares at her. He tries not to let his mouth drop. He brushes pass her as he enters the living room. “Where’s my cell phone? Where’s my cell phone? Someone give it to me right now!”

            “Right here, dude,” Jackson says, tosses it gently to him.

            “Thanks,” Stiles barely whispers. He falls down to the couch and starts opening the Gmail app.

 

[To: dhale25@gmail.com]

[From: stiles.stilinski@gmail.com]

[Date: May 3rd, 4:56PM]

[Subject: **URGENT** ]

_Hey Derek. Lydia told me that you’ve been checking your email to talk to Peter. She also said that Peter said you were with your sister again. I hope Cora’s doing well. I hope you’re doing well._

_Derek, we didn’t exactly end things on a good note. I’m sorry for that. I’ve been texting your cell phone. Maybe you cancelled your plan. Maybe you’ve had your phone off. Maybe you’ve gotten all the texts and decided to ignore me. I hope that’s not the case._

_Much has happened since you left. We’ve dealt with witches, goblins, vampires (they exist! BE CAREFUL), and my dad was shot. He’s okay though, dude. He misses you. Asks about you at least once a week. I tell him that you’re okay, even though I have no way of knowing. I just hope that you are._

_Derek, I miss you._

_Come home. Please._

_Yours,_

_-S_

            “Feel better?” Lydia asks, falling into the seat beside him.

            “Maybe.”

 

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

            Stiles winces at the annoying noise coming from his phone, not recognizing the song, and goes to change it. Only when he picks up his phone does he realize it’s not a song but a ring tone.

 

 **_SOURWOLF_ ** _wants to Facetime. Accept or ignore?_

 

            Accept. Accept so hard.

            Stiles jiggles the headphones into his ears, and is grateful Derek can’t hear how fast his heart is beating. _Connecting, connecting, connecting….connected_.

            Only it’s not Derek’s face on the screen. It’s Cora’s. She’s smiling and she waves.

            “ _Hey Stiles!_ ”

            “Hey Cora,” not bothering to hide the disappointment in his tone.

            “ _Don’t give me that look_ ,” she tells him, laughing. “ _Stiles, I have news._ ”

            He slumps back into his chair, and looks at his computer screen. He’d been reading up on _Reptilian Humanoids_. It’s almost more interesting to him than talking to Cora Hale seeing as _it isn’t Derek_.

            “ _Stiles!_ ” Cora’s voice echoes in his headphones. He focuses back on her.

            “Cora, sorry, I just…”

            “ _You were expecting my brother, I know. I just I have news, Stiles. You’re going to want to hear it_ ,” Cora tells him, smirking.

            “What is it?” Stiles asks, frowning.

            “ _Well I came home to find my brother gone_.”

            “Is he okay?” Stiles demands. “Did he leave a note or was he taken?”

            “ _He left a note. Well, sort of a note. He just left my laptop open to your email_ ,” Cora says. “ _I figured that was his goodbye note. I had to wait a few hours though, because he hasn’t turned his phone on in like a year—_ ”

            “Six months,” Stiles corrects without meaning to.

            “— _so it had to charge, but I thought you should have a head’s up. I’m pretty sure my brother is going home. Thanks for the well wishes. I am doing great!_ ” Cora adds, laughing now.

            Stiles’ heart starts racing all over again. “Derek’s coming home.”

            “ _I think so! He didn’t pack any of his stuff, so he’ll probably make me ship it to his fucking place. How’s his loft doing, by the way_?”

            “Fine, I guess.” Stiles blinks. “Cora, what the hell has Derek been doing with his life?”

            “ _He’s mainly been brooding, and miserable. I think he thought you didn’t want him back_ ,” Cora tells him.

            “What an idiot,” Stiles mutters. “Cora, don’t read the text messages!”

            “ _What text messages? There weren’t any notifications_ ,” Cora says, raising an eyebrow. It’s such a trademark Hale expression.

            “No notifications? That means…” Stiles lets his words trail off.

            “ _My big brother must have read them_.”

            Stiles groans mentally, and lets his head smack against his desk. He winces and makes a small ‘ow’ noise, but doesn’t move. “When did Derek leave you?”

            “ _Probably sometime last night. I just got in this afternoon._ ”

            “Wait,” Stiles says, lifting his head. “Does that give him enough time to be here _soon_?”

            “ _I think so!_ ” Cora says, smirking. “ _I’ll let you go touch up your face. Have a beautiful reunion and tell the McCall pack I say hi!_ ”

            “Will do,” Stiles mumbles. His mind is already going in six different directions. “Thanks, Cora. Bye, Cora.”

            “ _Bye Stiles!_ ” she says cheerfully.

            She ends the call, and his music starts to play again. Stiles takes out his headphones and glances around. God, if this was a movie, Derek would be here right now.

 

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

            Stiles gives up waiting and goes to bed. He dreams of pleasant things, that slowly turn dark. When he wakes up with panicked breathing and tries to calm himself down by saying that _Derek’s here_ in his mind, he only finds disappointment taking place of the fear.

            Derek’s not here.

            Stiles doesn’t want to fall back to sleep just yet, so he grabs his soft blanket and wraps it around himself as he heads downstairs.

            “You are not allowed to leave again,” Stiles’ hears his father say. “I swear, if you ever hurt my son like that again…”

            “I understand, sir.” Stiles freezes at the sound of Derek’s voice. “I want you, _and_ Stiles _—_ ” Derek knows Stiles is listening in, “—to know that I take full responsibility for hurting Stiles.”

            “I thought you wouldn’t leave,” the Sheriff says, gruffly, “because I saw how hard you fought for Stiles when he was possessed. You looked for him two days without sleeping. I don’t know what made you think leaving him was a good idea, but don’t do it again. My forgiveness of you will depend on Stiles.”

            “I understand, sir,” Derek says softly.

            Stiles doesn’t know whether or not to announce himself, even though Derek’s definitely aware of his presence.

            “I’m going to bed. You can sleep on the couch.” The Sheriff steps into the hall. He takes one look at his son and nods. “He still sleeps on the couch, Stiles.”

            “I…sure, dad,” is the only thing Stiles can think to say.

            The Sheriff goes up the stairs, and Stiles enters the kitchen.

            Derek doesn’t look much different, except his facial hair is thicker. Derek mustn’t have trimmed it on his usual schedule. Stiles isn’t sure why it’s the first thing he notices either.

            “Hi,” Stiles whispers.

            “Hi,” Derek responds. He rubs the back of his neck. “I got your email.”

            “Cora called me last night,” Stiles says. “Actually, she _Facetimed_ me.”

            “Oh.” Derek shrugs. “I left your email on her computer.”

            “She said,” Stiles murmurs. “We also figured out that you read my text messages.”

            “I did. All of them.” Derek frowns. “Stiles…I’m so sorry. I wasn’t there and you needed me…”

            “You needed a break,” Stiles answers. “I was being selfish, demanding you to come home so soon after you left. You needed a break, to figure out where you belonged. You belong here.”

            “And then I turned my cell phone off, because I didn’t think…I didn’t think you wanted me to speak to you again. Not after I was so…” Derek puts his hands in the air, only to let them fall to his side. “I thought I fucked up too bad.”

            Stiles snorts. “Yeah, okay, there. For a long time, your name was in my phone as ‘Derek Hale fucking sucks’. But…eventually, I just clung to this hope that you were reading all of my messages. That you were reading them and thinking about me.”

            “I thought about you. Every day.” Derek runs a hand through his hair. “God, Stiles, I thought I was going to go crazy. I had decided to come back at least eight times a week. But after everything the pack’s been through…I didn’t think it was fair.”

            Stiles’ anger, his pain, everything falls away. All he feels is relief. Derek is standing in front of him, talking to him, _breathing_ the same air. It’s such a fucking relief that Stiles is sure Derek could tell him that he hates him and Stiles would still feel relief.

            “You needed me,” Derek murmurs. “Why me?”

            “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard in the past three years.” Stiles walks towards Derek. He doesn’t go in for a hug, even though his body screams at him to do so. Instead, he puts a hand on Derek’s chest, trying to feel his heartbeat. It’s only then that he realizes it’s close to being in harmony with his. “You’re real.”

            “I’m real,” Derek says with a confused tone.

            Stiles meets his eyes. “I’ve dreamt that you were here, _a lot_ , but whenever Dream Stiles would touch Dream You, my hands would slip through your body and you’d disappear.”

            “I…”

            “Intense, I know. I just…Derek, I’m glad you’re home.”

            “I…me too, Stiles. I should have kept my phone on. Or checked it. I was just scared there wouldn’t be a message from you, and I didn’t want to be that disappointed.”

            Stiles’ lips curve only slightly. He slips his arms around Derek, and buries himself into Derek. Derek squeezes him tightly.

            “I missed you.”

            “I missed you too.”

            “Stiles?” Derek asks.

            “Yeah?”

            “I ran into a vampire a few weeks ago.”

            Stiles pulls his head back to look at Derek.

            “I didn’t bite her, and vice versa. She was actually pretty nice.”

            “Are you telling me that _good vampires_ are a thing?” Stiles asks.

            “Yeah, yeah I am.”

            Stiles shakes his head. “Anything’s possible.”

           

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

            “Did you yell at him?” Scott asks Stiles.

            The pack is standing in the loft. Stiles had called a meeting. He shakes his head. “Scott, I just…I couldn’t _yell_ at him. I just…I can’t.”

            “Then I will.” Scott storms over to Derek. His voice is raised, and Alpha’d out when he says, “ _You_ are part of _my_ pack. _You_ do not get to run away like that. I don’t fucking give a flying rat’s ass what your reasons are, Derek. _You_ do not get to make us worry. You don’t get to choose _when_ you want to be part of this family. You _are_ part of it, and next time, there will be a _lengthy_ discussion about where you are going and when you will be checking in. Do you understand me?”

            Derek blinks twice into submission. He nods. “I didn’t…”

            “Didn’t what?” Scott demands. “Think you were part of our pack? I’m pretty sure I’ve made that clear on many, many different occasions.”

            Derek rubs the back of his neck. “Scott, I’m sorry…I really didn’t know.”

            Scott throws his arms in the air, and spins around. Stiles tries not to laugh hard because it’s such a Stiles’ movement, and Stiles is pretty pleased that Scott’s taking after him a little bit. Scott sighs, letting go of his frustration. He claps a hand onto Derek’s shoulder. “ _Promise me_.”

            “Promise,” Derek echoes the word.

            “Now apologize.”

            Derek glances around at the pack. “I’m sorry I left.”

            “Ran away,” Scott mutters.

            “Ran away, I’m sorry I ran away.”

            “Forgiven,” Lydia chimes. “Scott, quit making him feel guilty. This is Derek, we’re talking about.”

            Scott frowns. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to make you feel guilty. I’m not mad anymore. I’m just happy you’re home.”

            “Yes, you did,” Derek says, but a grin’s tugging at his lips.

            “Yes, I damn well did. But it’s over now. C’mon, Stiles told me that he took you to _IKEA_ this morning.”

            “He did! I found a TV!” Isaac shouts from another room.

            Scott glances around to look for Isaac, and shakes his head, laughing.

            Derek looks at Stiles and smiles a little.

            “I told you.”

            “I…”

            “Had no idea, I got that. But c’mon, Kira brought us cake.”

            “Smells delicious,” Derek says, giving Kira a grin.

            “Thank you!” she says, grinning back.

 

 **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞** **♚** **♞**

 

 

 **_SOURWOLF_ ** _wants to FaceTime. Accept or ignore?_

 

            Accept. Always fucking accept.

            “Yo, Der-bear, how are you?” Stiles asks, spinning around on his chair.

            “ _It’s Derek, and I’m good. How are you?_ ”

            “Great,” Stiles says, grinning. “Cora mailed up your stuff?”

            “ _She did, so I thought I’d call you…to make up for the last time I called you_ ,” Derek says. It’s hard to see his face.

            “Are you…outside?” Stiles asks, squinting at the screen. He hears a scraping noise on both his phone and outside his window. He laughs, drops his phone, and opens his window. “Derek, get in here!”

            Derek smirks as he hops into Stiles’ room. “Hey.”

            “Hey.”

            “I know this is sudden…”

            “It’s not, not really. I’ve spent so long without you. I don’t want to do it anymore, Derek.” Stiles intertwines his fingers into Derek’s free hand. Derek sets his phone onto the desk behind him.

            “So when I smelled…arousal last week…?”

            “It was for you. It’s always been for you,” Stiles murmurs. He steps closer to Derek, to press his chest against his.

            Derek’s lips jerk upwards into a blinding smile. “I had hoped…Cora sent me a note with my stuff. She told me to go for it.”

            “Best advice _ever_ ,” Stiles murmurs. His lips are less than an inch from Derek’s. “What are you waiting for?”

            “Nothing. Not anymore,” Derek murmurs. His lips touch Stiles’ and they stumble onto the bed together. “Thanks for not giving up on me.”

            “You’re worth a billion stars, Mr. Hale. You know if you could capture one and then put a price on it. Which is impossible, _but_ if you could, you’d be worth them all.”

            Derek laughs. “I’m glad I’m home.”

            “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I might need to write a funny Facetiming!Derek fic just to make up for how badly this one turned out.


End file.
